LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



T I^ DB 



AGE OF HORSES 

By Their Teeth 




AND 



The Mewment of tliE Kina of k M 



,S' '' AND OTHER NOTED HORSES. 

R U FU S BRO W N 



•ii. "''1^ 



\ 



I^PtlCE, 



$l-00 



Copyright entered aecordinof to act of Congress in 
the year 1880, by Rufus Brown, in the offioe of the 
Librarian of Congreps at VVashinofon. 



'^12^-6^' 



The Bartlett Pictorial Printing House, 

20 & 22 Seneca St., Bupfalo, N. Y. 

1880. 









INTRODUCTION. 



There are few persons, even among the 
veterenary surgeons or horse dealers who are 
able to determine the age of a horse, after it 
has attained its eighth year; how much less then 
can it be expected that those should do so, 
who have never made it a study. 

Horse dealers are frequently accused of 
deceiving purchasers m the age of horses 
when they themselves were deceived. The 
purpose of this book is to set aside this decep- 
tion and to enable all, both sellers and buyers, 
even those who never knew anything about 
the age of a horse to discover for themselves 
with accuracy the age of any horse. 



n 



FOAL TEETH. 



At the age of 2i years the teeth begin to 
change, and those which then appear are per- 
manent Horse teeth. 




Fig. l.—h Year Old. 

This cut represents the lower jaw of a 
half year old foal. By observing the inside, it 
will be preceived that, both the outer and 
inner edge of the nippers are worn, but of the 
middle teeth only the outer edge, while the 
corner teeth have not yet come into contact. 

1, 1, The Nippers. 

2, 2, The Middle teeth. 

3, 3, The Corner teetli. 




Fig. IL— 1 Year Old. 
Shows the lower jaw at a year old, where 
the edges of nil thie incisors are partly worn by 
friction, and the inner edge of the corner teeth 
remain uninjured, 




Fig. III.— 2 Year Old. 

Shows the lower jaw at 2 years old; the 
nippers and middle teeth are worn down to 
the extent of the marks in the teeth, the 
inner edg-e of the corner teeth are also worn. 



8 

Fig. 1Y. — Shows a Nipper after the Cut- 
ting OF THE Horse Incisor. 



Fig. 4. 







IT 



I. — Shows^ a' nippor at 
the age of 3 years, 1 and 2 
is its breadth, 3 and 4 its 
thickness. 

II. — As it appe^irs [at 
tlie age ol 6 years, where 
merely a trace of the dis- 
appearing mark is visible, 
the breadth, 1 and 2, 
decreases, and 'increases 
in thickness, 3 and 4. 

III.^ — As it appears at 
12 years, as thick as broad. 
It has become round* 

IV. — As at 18 years, a 
triangular surface, 

V. — As it appears at the 
age of 24 years, twice as 
thick, 3 and 4, as broad, 
1 and 2. 



9 

The form of a permanent ni[)per may be 
thus de^crihed. 

Tlie mon^ it loses n) lenij^th bv friction the 
more it als(t loses in width, so that the nearer 
the fi'iction surface approaches to the end of 
the root, the narrower and thicker it must 
app(\u'. 

A full trrown stallion or gelding has 40 
and a mare 30 real teeth; the former have 4 
hook or commonl}^ called bridle teeth, which 
are wanting in the latter, although sometimes 
in place of the hooks small stumps similar to 
teeth are found. 

In some young horses are found what are 
called Wolfs teeth which are not included in 
this number because they are not real teeth 
and are found next to the first double teeth and 
should always be extracted as soon as ob- 
served. 

The 4 hook or bridle teeth are seated 
alone, iieirer to the corner teeth on the lower 
than on the upper jaw; so that they never 
come in contact with each other. 

The whole number of teeth does not be- 
come complete and perfect until the horse has 
attained the age of 41 or 5 years. 

We have now shown in what manner the 
age of a foal can be ascertained until it reaches 
the ag3 of two years. The following will ex- 



10 

plain how the age of a horse which does not 
average over 30 vears can with certainty he 
ascertained. 

We will take the teeth of horses of a 
medium size as a standard, and from the rules 
laid down for these, we can calculate the age 
under other circumstances. 

Large horses, it is evident, have larger 
teeth than small ones, hut tiie age of hoth can 
be ascertained by the same rule as thatjaid 
down for those of medium size. Large horses' 
teeth protrude 1 or 2 lines more above the 
gums than smaller ones. After the newly 
changed tooth has arrived at its proper length 
it shoots up a line regularly every year and if 
the teeth stand rightly the grinder wears off a 
line every year. A line is one twelfth of an 
inch. Should the teeth stand too far forward 
they do not wear down in the same proportion 
as they slioot upwards. This is however no 
hinderance in ascertaining the age. 

At the age of 5 years the corner teeth of 
the lower jaw have grcnvn up to 5 lines above 
the gum, each middle tooth 7, and each nip- 
per 9 lines. 

At 8 years of age and older, each corner 
tooth of the same horse projects only 4, the 
middle teeth G, and the nippers 8 lines above 
the gums. This is very important, in fact 
necessary, to be known because it is the only 
means, by which one can decide with certainty 



11 

upon the age of a horse whose teeth at an ad" 
vanced age have become longer than they 
would have done by proper wear. 

We will first describe in what manner the 
age of a horse can be ascertained b\^ those teeth 
which wear down just in the same proportion 
as they shoot upwards, and consequently retain 
their {)ro}»er height above the gum. 




Fig. v.— 2i Years Old. 



This cut shows the lower jaw at 2h years 
old, the two nippers breaking through as horse 
teeth and the remaining (4) foal teeth show a 
smooth friction surface. 



12 




Fig. VI.— 3 J Years Old. 
Represents a lower jaw at 3 J years of age. 
The two middle foal teeth disapear, the real 
horse teeth take their ])hi,ce. 




Fig. VII. -4a Years Old. 

The lower jaw at 42 years of age^ the foal 
teeth all disapear, the corner teeth, and, hooks 



13 

breaking-.thr(»ugl], the nippers worn down at 
both edges, the Middle teeth only on the outer 
edges. 




Fig YIIL— 5 Years Old. 
Shows a lower jaw at 5 years of age the 
nippers with their marks almost entirely worn 
out, the middle teeth showing marks partially 
worn, the corner ones with the mark plainly 
seen but the edges partly worn. The hooks 
are full grown but are not worn away in the 
least. 



u 




Fig. IX.— 6 Years Old. 



At 6 years the nippers with the marks 
worn out, the middle teeth with the marks 
disappearing, the corner ones showing the 
marks plainly but with the edges of the cavity 
considerably worn 

The Hooks in discovering the age of a 
horse are not to be relied on, the signs they 
present can only be considered useful, when 
they agree with those of other teeth. 



15 




Fig. X.— 7 Years Old. 

Shows the lower jaw at 7 years , the middle 
teeth worn to a plane surface, the corner teeth 
still showing a small covity. The hooks have 
lost more of their edges and their pointed 
ends have become more rounded. 



16 

A Lower jaw at 8 years of age in which 
the incisor have all become equally w^orn and 
in the corner teeth merely a trace of the dis- 
appearing mark is visible, is shown in the 
following illustration: 




Fig. XI.—8 Years Old. 
The edges of the hooks are worn down; 
almost to half their height. The Marks in 
the upper teeth are as deep again as those 
in the under ones and consequently wear as 
long again. 



17 




Fig. XII.— 9 Years Old. 

Represents the upper jaw at 9 years old. 
the nippers showing a slight remnant of the 
mark, the middle and corner teeth still show 
the marks. 



Fig. XIIL 



18 

-10 Years Old. 




Slows an upper jaw at 10 years of age, 
the nipptrs worn to a plane surface, the middle 
teeth still showing a slight mark. 



4;pffl^xFiG. XIV.— 11 Years Old. 4;S^Sfe 




An upper jaw at 11 years old, the Middle 
teeth worn to a plane surface, the corner ones 



showing a slight cavity. 



19 




Fig. XV.— 12 Yeaes Old. 



The Lower jaw at 12 years of age, the nippers 
are as thickas Broad, they have become round. 




Fig XVL— 13 Years Old. 
Shows a lower jaw at 13 years the nippers 
and middle teeth are perfectly rounded. The 



20 

corner ones increase in thickness, and the 
hooks have become bhmt. 




Fig. XVII.— 14 Years Old. 
At 14 years of age the corner teeth of the 
lower jaw are round. 




Fig. XVIII.— 15 Years Old. 
At 15 years of age in which the nippers 
in the upper jaw are rounded. 



f21 




ded. 



Fig. XIX.— 16 Years Old. 
At 16 years the middle teeth are also roun- 




Fig. XX.— 17 Ykars Old. 

At 17 years of age the corner teeth of the' 
upper jaw are also rounded. 



22 




Fig. XXL— 18 Years Old. 

At 18 years the nippers of the upper jaw 
are triangular. 




Fia XXIL— 19 Years Old. 



At 19 years of age the middle tee^ assume 
the same triangular appearance. 



23 




Fig. XXIII.— 20 Years Old. 

At 20 years of age the corner teeth of the 
lower jaw assume the same form. 




Fig. XXIV.— 21 Years Old. 

At 21 years the nippers of the upper jaw 
are also triangular. 




Fig. XXV —22 Years Old. 

At 22 years the middle teeth of the upper 
jaw are also triangular. 




Fig. XXVI.— 23 Years Old. 

At 23 years of age the corner teeth of the 
upper jaw are triangular. 



25 




Fig. XXVII.— 24 Years Old. 
At 24 years of age the nippers in the 
lower jaw are twice as thick 3 and 4, as broad 
1 and 2, as represented in fig. 4. 




Fig. XXVIII.— 25 Years Old. 
At 25 years the middle teeth assume the 
same form. 



26 




Fig. XXIX.— 26 Years Old. 

At 26 years of age the corner teeth of 
the lower jaw are also twice as thick as broad 
the upper jaw from the age of 26 to 29 assume 
the same form as those of the lower jaw from 
23 to 26 at the age of 29 the corner teeth of 
the upper jaw are twice as thick as Broad 

The foregoing plainly shows, that so long 
as the teeth retain their proper length, there 
is no difficulty in discerning the age of a 
horse. 

We will prove that the age of a horse 
which have irregular teeth, can also be ascer- 
tained. 

We have seen that the teeth shoot up a 
line every year, but do not wear down in the 
same degree, when they stand too far forward 
in the mouth, in order to discover the age of a 
horse with such teeth, it is necessary to observe 
the mark narrowly, for instance suppose, the 
mark on the surface of the teeth shows 8 years 
but the teeth are 4 lines too long for that age; 
it follows that the horse has lived 12 years. 



27 




Fig. XXX.— 20 Years Old. 

Shows the front and side of a lower jaw 
which is 12 lines too long, the marks shows 8 
years, but as the teeth has shot up a line each 
year and has not worn down, one must add the 
12 superfluous lines to the 8 years shown by 
the marks we shall thus arrive at the age of 
the horse 20 years. 



28 




FiG.XXXL— 20 Years Old. 
Represents the same lower jaw of 20 years 
viewed from the inside. The friction surface 
shows 8 years. 




Fig. XXXII —20 Years Old. 



If the superfluous length be removed one 
can see the friction of 20 years on the surface. 



29 




Fig. XXXTTL— 20 Yeat^s Old. 

Shows a lower jaw in whicli tlie teeth are 
10 lines to loong*. 

The distance from the gum lo No. 1 is the 
natural height of the teeth as at 5 years of age 
when first conienced to wear, one line is one 
twelfth ; art of an inch. 



30 




Fig. XXXIV.— 20 Years Old. 

Is an inside view of the same jaw, shows a 
mark of 6 years on the surface, the teeth are 10 
lines too long, its age is 16 years. 



31 

There are men who stive to make horses 
appear younger than they are, by cutting off' 
all of tlie nippers with a saw to the proper 
length, and theii with a cutting instrument, 
the operator scoopes out a cavity in tlie corner 
nippers wliich is afterwards burnt wdth a hot 
iron until it is quite black, this is however' 
easy of detection as a tooth of 16 years of age 
is not sufficiently broad to admit of such a 
mark, also the entire enamel would be distur- 
bed. 

There are also crib biters which by wear- 
ing out their front teeth appear a few years 
older than they really are. The age of these 
can be ascertained by their corner teeth, which 
are very seldom injured; should this be the 
case however then as many lines as are want- 
ing to make the natural length must be deduc- 
ted and the horse is as many years younger, as 
the teeth are lines too short. 

In all the works which has been pub- 
lished on this subject the writer have only ex- 
plained the variation in the teeth until the 8tli 
or 9th year. Having examined both, living 
and dead horses, I have convinced myself 
that the age of a horse may be ascertained 
with the same accuracy after the 8th or 9th 
year as before. 



32 
Measurements. 



Measurements or points of a horse which 
denote speed is shown in the following table. 

To a person starting out to purchase a horse 
nothing can be of greater value than the 
knowdedge of those points. A standard is need- 
ed by which th-e buyer may measure the sever- 
al animals inspected. 

The following table gives the measurement 
of St. Julien the King of the Turf, Dexter and 
Leviathan, also the time or records they have 
made: 

St.Julien. Dexter. Leviathan. 
Inche*^. niches. Inches. 

Height, of Withers («J^ 62 Hi 

Length oJ head 2H]4 21 '£]% 

Length of neck 30 25 30 

Uound the muzzle 20 19 18i^ 

Round swell of Jaw.s 32 33 20> 

Length of back 28 23 18 

From hif) to hip over the loin.. 24 19 19 

Round tliebody at girth T.^!^ 68% 72 

Round the flank over the loin. 70 65 72 

Elbow toground 3'i Su% SV/i 

Hound Die arm at SMH'll 21 19]^ 22 

Round the knee 13 13 12)^ 

Round the hock 17 1V4 Ui% 

Round canu' n, uiidway 8% 8 9 

Rouhd cannon, hindleg 9% 814 ^14 

Point ol hip to point of hock. . 11 4u% 42 

Pointofshoulder to pt buttock 04 62 69 

Round neck at tne head 2^14 3l% 8o 

Round head at the bodj' 45 42'a 47 

Round the barrel 79 71 

From point to point of shoulder 16 13 

Length of hip 22 22 

Time 2.11i^ 2.17!^ 2.30 



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